April 30th 2025 – Only on the patch, the sun was out, the breeze was light and I rarely head out much before lunch time so, what the heck eh? 08:30 and I was out!
Shock, horror probe!!! Early bird etc. Actually that breeze was still a wee bit chilly so I had a light fleece over the t-shirt.
Some of our Summer migrants had arrived this week, I’d heard a few yesterday, possibly just arrived?
The Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs have been here for a couple of weeks or more but the Sedge Warbler and Whitethroats were calling yesterday so I wanted a few shots, if I got to see them at all.
There’s a mixed hedge that runs down one side of the lane and the Whitethroats hang out in and around that, the hedge ends at the bottom of the hill and the reed beds start so, Sedge Warbler country.
I went out to the sheds to check the owls box, didn’t see anyone, must be tucked into the corner asleep. Spotted a pair of House Sparrows nesting in the eaves by the door.
Between the sheds as usual, see what I might see and I saw this ……
At very long distance and in the heat of the day……I think it may be a young Red Kite? if anyone can tell from these awful shots, I’d be grateful for any input 🙂
Round the sheds, out onto the lane and down the first hill and there’s the Whitethroat! Really chuffed to get a few shots, albeit a little distant but I should get some better shots as they settle in more.
They quite often hunt for food early in the morning just outside the garden fence so I get to see them almost daily and last year, watched them feed young there too.
There’s been a female Wheatear at the bottom of the lane, there’s a bit of work going on so earth is piled up at the side and I think that has attracted her, I haven’t seen a male at all.
She has been very obliging and stayed around while I grab a few shots. It’s also that butterfly time of year so my head is swivelling 20 to the dozen, trying to keep track.
I report the sightings on iRecord Butterflies, there’s a separate app for them on Android, probably for iPhone too. I’m beginning to believe that it is more important every day to share data like this, help track numbers and locations globally.
There aren’t that many around just yet but, our weather is so changeable right now, the temperature fluctuates quite a lot so it can’t be easy being a bug just now 🙂
I spotted this Peacock butterfly while standing right by the reed beds when, luckily, the Sedge Warbler decided to pop up for a shout!
I don’t suppose I’ll ever forget my first sight and sound of this bird, on a headland just above a small coastal village in Pembrokeshire called Solva, loved our trips there.
I digress ….. whoosh! We’re not going to Solva!
Onwards, up the hill, round the bend …
This walk has a constant soundtrack of bird calls and songs at this time of year.
As I crested the hill, I spotted something coming down the lane towards me, I stood staring, then grabbed the binocs, then realised it was a Hare, then missed the shot! Can’t get them all eh?
Straight on, heading for the old Oak feeding post, I love the view to the portal, as I call it, beyond that, you’re out in the outside world! (In my head anyway) 🙂
Just over that brow the lane is banked on both sides by bright yellow Broom and the scent is almost overpowering.
As I walked closer, a Buzzard landed, hence I call it the Buzzard tree, there’s a great view out over the fields below, perfect for a hunter.
There’s more and more activity among the wildlife all around us now, nest building, feeding, different stages for different creatures.
There are birds singing and calling all around, I got glimpses of Song Thrush foraging, they don’t like stopping for photographs and they’re not a bird I remember seeing visiting the garden.
I stopped off at the feeding post, dropped some food and hung around a while but there wasn’t a great deal of activity. wrong time of day? Other things to be worrying about? So I started back down the lane towards home. I got a few more glimpses of a Whitethroat as I climbed the hill towards home, they have an angry sounding chirrup when we’re too close 🙂
This one flitted ahead of me all the way up the lane, shouting at me the whole time 🙂
Before disappearing out over the field.
And that was the end of this walk, chilly but beautiful and a little quiet on the bird front but, no complaints here.
patch photos
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